A ninja, a mage and an octopus
by xynad
Summary: Chap6 upload: Kurogane, Fai and an octopus. The ninja and the mage battle with an oni in which Fai saves the other. However, Fai gets sick in doing so and Kurogane is supposedly FORCED to take care of him. But what if he actually begins to care? KuroFai.
1. OctopusslashCyclopssan

**A/N: ** I still can't understand why I keep on writing plot less stories. My muse seems to hate me sooo much. Anyway, here you all go.. my first ever Tsubasa fic. I've been wanting to try my hand on this pair for a long time. I don't know where this would go, being that it is plot less as of now.. but I will definitely do my best. Notes will be polished, covered and tuck safely in a time-capsule. So drop me a note somehow, ne? 

"Stupid Cyclops!" Kurogane muttered under his breath as his free hand came to roughly wipe away a stream of blood that now marred his cheeks as a stray stone hit his face, caused by the furious rampage of the oni.

"But Kuro-rin, it's not just a Cyclops!" he heard the magician whine beside him.

"What do you call it then? A one-eyed oni? Cyclops is a more convenient term!" the ninja growled.

"It's Octopus-slash-Cyclops-san! Look at those cute tentacles. How could you take them for granted, Kuro-myuu?" Fai said in response, beaming.

Kurogane couldn't help but roll his eyes in exasperation. There was nothing, absolutely nothing cute with the oni they were currently engaged in battle with. In fact, it just had to top the most disgusting list of oni he had seen, and probably ever will see.

The said oni indeed had one huge, swelling eye perched on top of its boulder-like head. Its skin glowed acid green under the lights of the lamp-posts and it had about ten or so tentacles (so it isn't an octopus, Kurogane had to remind himself, as octopuses only have eight) attached to its body. And it had no feet.

Kurogane frowned. He wondered how it was possible that the oni had no feet yet it seemed very capable of running. It was definitely a disgusting sight. It ought to be-

"Kuro-chi, your turn!" the mage's voice suddenly interrupted his 'daydreaming'.

"What?" he asked.

Fai pointed to the octopus-slash-Cyclops in an attempt to wake the ninja from his reverie, and immediately, the said ninja's question was answered. At least six or seven of the oni's tentacles were now pinned to the wall behind it by the mage's darts, although some were still swaying violently. Kurogane's eyebrows shot at the sight, as a slightly annoyed look crossed his face. He couldn't have been brooding about the oni that _long_ for the mage to manage such a feat could he?

"My, my Kuro-pon… You need to hurry. I'm running out of darts," Fai cooed over his shoulder, earning himself a death glare.

"Hmpf. You do a little trick, and you think yourself the hero," Kurogane retorted.

"Hmmmm? Why is Kuro-sama so angry? Is it because I accidentally cut his daydreams about Octopus-slash-Cyclops-san?"

"Shut up, idiot! Why the hell would I do that?!"

"Probably bec-

Fai was about to answer back but was cut off mid-sentence when a tentacle suddenly attacked them, headed straight for the ninja's head.

The magician had time to think, but not too much to act. He debated whether to pull out another dart which would probably take half a second, or simply to push the ninja which would take him about a nanosecond. And so, opting for the wise yet not-so-wise decision, he pushed the ninja aside and took the Octopus-slash-Cyclops wrath instead.

"Stupid mage! What are you trying to do?!" Kurogane said forcefully, and for a while Fai could only stare at him. He spoke so fiercely that Fai could swear he growled, living up to being a 'doggy'.

"I saved you, Kuro-chan! Now I'm a real hero," Fai grinned nonchalantly as he stood up and dusted his waiter's costume, the ever present smile masking his face.

Kurogane took time to survey the mage's form. He seemed perfectly fine, except for the small tear on his right shoulder. The ninja cursed himself inwardly. He was supposed to be the oni-slayer yet now he had a demented mage saving him. What was he doing anyway, thinking about such a ridiculous thought in the middle of a battle? Could it be possible that he was starting to think like the mage because he had been spending too much time with him?

Now he was pissed beyond reason. Not only did he act so helpless that the made had to actually save his ass, but he also wandered around cultivating nonsense thoughts in the battlefield. Whatever happened to the ninja he was supposed to be? For Pete's sake, if Princess Tomoyo knew he started thinking about Octopus-slash-Cyclops…

Octopus-slash-Cyclops?? What the hell? He couldn't believe he was calling the oni with the nickname the crazy magician baptized it with. Biting his lips in annoyance, he decided it was time to quit the stupidity that had been gracing him for a few hours now.

He leapt over the tentacle that had just attacked Fai, making the oni go berserk. It thrashed its remaining stirring tentacles about, crushing everything it came in contact with. It was definitely time to kill this bastard, as it had damaged already half of the avenue where they were in. But he was still thinking of the best way to kill it.

He looked over to where the mage was, standing a few feet away from him. Should he decapitate the oni, it might go out of control with pain, thrash about even wilder and hit the stupid magician. Besides, the mage's efforts in pinning down the tentacles would be futile. Should the oni go berserk, it's highly probable that the darts would be detached easily.

Kurogane avoided another tentacle's furious swipe, and deciding upon the method, he leapt from tentacle to tentacle until he reached the top of the disgusting oni's head. Swiftly, and with all the force he could muster, he drove the blade of his sword right into the oni's swelling eye. And with another rapid motion, he drew it out before the blood scattered, at the same time leaping immediately to a safer place.

Kurogane landed gracefully beside the magician.

"Hyuu! Kuro-wanko is so cool!" the demented magician exclaimed as he dramatically clapped his hands.

"Stupid mage. Acting rashly, when you're not even suppose to be here. You're not a registered oni-slayer!" the ninja replied, watching the oni shrink and returning the sword back to its sheath.

"But, Kuro-tan. Why did you kill it? If you have a crush on Octopus-slash-Cyclops-san, we should have brought it home instead," Fai commented, ignoring the other's reply.

Kurogane _almost_ ignored the comment, as he was in fact a little tired from all the oni-slaying business. However, the word "crush" caught, and it was definitely something that made the veins on Kurogane's temple surface.

"What the hell did you just say, mage??!!" he said, suddenly withdrawing his sword, ready for yet another kill.

But too late.

The prey was already running with his hands in the air.

And shouting "Nyaan! Nyaan!" at that.


	2. Avere cura di te

Kurogane knew something was wrong the moment they stepped foot inside the café they were currently staying in.

Of course he chose not to say it out loud, lest he be branded soft or worse, _concerned_. But it was a nagging feeling that haunted him, and his instincts told him that something was definitely out of place. And hell, he would have been gone if he chose to ignore his instincts. It was one of the things he was well gifted with, and it guided his very existence.

"Kurogane-san? Are you alright?" the brat asked.

"Hmm?"

"You seem to be thiking about.. uhmmm.. something," Syaoran replied, apparently at a loss for words.

Kurogane chose not to reply. He eyed the brat instead, as if to see through him for he somehow felt that the kid _knew_ what he was thinking about; as if he could read the ninja's mind. Well, it wasn't really as if he was thinking of someone. Of course not. Not at all. Why would he think of someone?

"Fai-san told me you two encountered an oni," the brat continued, not minding the other's brooding silence.

"What the hell did he tell you?" Kurogane asked suspiciously.

"..That it was a very cute oni!" Syaoran replied.

"Che! Stupid mage! What else?" Kurogane pined, wanting to hear the idiot mage's tale of how he became the hero.

"…and that you defeated it! That means we earned again, Kurogane-san! I'm sorry if Fai-san had to take my place instead, though," the kid continued.

Kurogane's eyebrow shot at the thought that the demented mage made no mention of his 'daydreaming' act back there. He was partly grateful and partly irritated by the mage's nobility. It was not in his upbringing to take another's glory, and this was definitely one of those times when he took glory for another's actions.

"Hmpf. I didn't defeat it, he did," the ninja replied.

Syaoran was about to ask for details when the princess and the mage, with the white majuu taking the rear, entered, each carrying a tray of tonight's newest creations. The two 'doggies' caught ear of their conversation.

"Is it as cute as Mokona?" Sakura asked Fai. At that the white bun leaped over to Fai's head.

"Hmmmm? Well, almost. But no one's as cute as our Mokona!" Fai replied beaming as he patted Mokona's head.

At this, Mokona kissed Fai's cheek before crossing over to Kurogane's shoulder.

"Fai-mommy said Mokona is the cutest! You think so too, right? Kuro-daddy?"

"That's not what he said! Shut up,white manjuu!"

"Kuro-daddy is the only one who disagrees! Fai-mommy and the kids all believe so! Why is our daddy such a grumpy ninja?!" the white manjuu whined.

A vein throbbed in Kurogane's temple and had it not been for the mage's godly timing to taunt the ninja, Mokona could might as well have been tonight's main course.

"Hmmm? But Kuro-pon thought Octopus-slash-Cyclops-san was cute! He even planned to tie blue ribbons around its lovely tentacles to make it even cuter! How could he not think of our Mokona as cute too?"

"Blue ribbons? Kawaii! But pink ribbons would be cuter, wouldn't they be, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked, with yet _that_ twinkle in her eyes that could make everybody, even a stone agree.

The mage, the brat and the manjuu all laughed upon seeing the expression change on Kurogane's face.

"I think so too, Sakura-chan. But Kuro-daddy has such awful taste. Tsktsk," Fai said, shaking his head dramatically.

A glare that could freeze hell over. And the magician got the message.

"Very well, kids. I'll go get changed. I'll be back by dinner," Fai called out to them as he retreated.

An hour passed. And another. Dinner had come and gone.

But Fai didn't return.

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Kurogane found himself standing outside the mage's room. For how long, he didn't know. And for what reason, he wasn't sure either. Perhaps it was because the brat was pestering him with details about the battle with the oni. Perhaps it was because the pirncess was starting to get agitated and had affected everybody's mood. Perhaps because the white manjuu kept jumping up and down his head, demanding that he start looking for Fai.

Or perhaps…

"Che!" he muttered to himself as he shook some unreasonable thoughts.

Finally deciding on what to do, he took several steps until he was directly across the mage's room, close enough to knock. And this, he did. He knocked once, and upon hearing no answer, knocked again. He knocked a third time. Still, nothing.

"Oy, mage! I'm coming in," he grunted, and then he opened the door.

The squeaking of the rusty door shattered the otherwise utter silence that filled the cramped room. The lights were off, and every single object inside was shrouded in shadows. He switched the lights on in order to have a better look. His eyes shot directly to the bed, just in case the crazy magician was already asleep and he was accidentally disturbing him. But he found that the bed was empty, and that it was kept exactly like the magician had left it early this morning.

Where could the mage be then? He knew instantly that it was impossible for the other to leave without their consent, as he understood very well that the mage hated it when he bothered other people. Kurogane scanned the entire room, lest he forgot to look somewhere, and seeing no sign of the magician, he almost turned to leave when a heavy, raspy breathing halted him.

Frowning, he looked behind to open door, only to find Fai slumped on the corner of the floor. His back was leaning on the wall, his legs were outstretched in front of him, his arms fell limply on his sides, and his head was bowed so low that his chin already touched his collarbone.

Kurogane crouched down in front of the mage, surveying the other's form. He seemed to be asleep, or if he was feigning it, seemed to have done a great job. His face was pallid, and with the dim light above, his hair shone brightly, almost ghostly, and for a moment Kurogane was sure he would just disappear into the background with his paleness. His lips were rather dry, and they lacked the usual smile.

"Oy…" Kurogane mumbled, as silently as he could.

A stir.

And Fai opened his eyes. A smile instantly flashed. He raised his head quickly, as if ashamed of the fact that Kurogane had seen him in a not-so-good-posture.

"Ah, Kuro-wanwan! Is it time for dinner?" he asked cheerfully.

"Dinner's over three hours ago. Why didn't you come to the table? You had them all worried," Kurogane replied gruffly.

"Ah… But you left me some of course? You did right, Kuro-min?"

"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" the ninja asked, ignoring the other's question.

"Hmmmm? Silly, Kuro-sama! Why would I sleep on the floor? I was merely resting my legs. I've gotten cramps, you know," the mage replied happily, although Kurogane couldn't see what the hell made the idiot smile even when he was like this.

He didn't understand either how the demented magician thought he would fall for it. He knew a lie when he saw one, and he knew that the other was a walking lie even though the mage was practically an expert when it came to it. Many fell for it, but never did he. And so, he knew this was just another, and probably even one of the worst that he believes even the princess would be able to see through it.

The ninja extended an arm and touched the torn part of the sleeve on the mage's right shoulder. A wince grimaced the blond's face for a while before the usual smile covered it. And with that, Kurogane instantly knew what was wrong. He drew closer, and examined the wound that the other received during the battle with the oni. It was a tentacle mark, and the skin around it glowed acid green, exactly like the oni's color.

He dropped his sword on the floor just behind him and was about to draw even closer for a better look when the magician suddenly brushed his hand aside. He then stood up rather quickly, that despite his furrowed eyebrows, Kurogane followed suit.

"Now, now. Let me have my dinner," Fai said cheerfully.

He hadn't even taken a single step yet before his lithe body collapsed. And he fell forwards, head first unto Kurogane's chest.

"O..Oy!"

BLAG!

Kurogane's strength was more then enough to support the mage's weight, but his surprise at the mage's sudden collapsing, the scampering to catch him and most of all, his sword on the floor just behind his feet, made his balance suffer. He accidentally stepped backwards when Fai's head came in contact with his chest, stepped on his sword and slipped and fell on his back, with his hands protectively around Fai's head.

Kurogane began to wonder why his life was always so full of miracles mere seconds after the _great fall._ With a crash like that, he was almost sure everyone's skull would be cracked. Yet his was not. He was alive, save for a huge throbbing bump at the back of his head, with which he reminded himself to blame the stupid mage for later. But that was the least of his worries now. He would deal with that later.

He gazed at the ceiling above where the light was shining dimly. His head ached enough that he could not stand up just yet, but the weight of the magician was the real reason why he could not even sit. His gaze lowered to the unconscious blond on his chest, to check whether the mage was fine. He was fine alright, as he wasn't awakened by the fall.

Kurogane moved his hand from the mage's hair to feel the other's cheek instead. He felt the suppleness of the now ghastly white skin, the contours of the jaw, and most of all the temperature. The stupid mage was burning.

Kurogane sighed.

This was going to be a long night.


	3. Un sogno

**A/N: **Guys, I'm sorry if this update took quite some time. I was eaten by the tons of workload I neglected, and now they're taking their toll. Oh no. Thanks a bunch to those people who reviewed, by the way. You don't know just how much you make my day.

**A/N2: **A little angst and a bit of OOCness in this chapter. Read at your own risk. Cringe.

**Disclaimers: **I don't own Tsubasa. If I did, Kurogane and Fai would be a couple living happily ever after by now.

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_It was pouring hard outside. It was pouring like __mad,__ he could feel it even from where he was watching, even if he was away from anything and everything else. The raindrops were swift and determined, like a shower of arrows all pointing at one aim.__ The rain brought along with it __a certain__ coldness, doubled by the thick amount of snow and ice that was perpetually present in this land. And he wondered exactly how it was possible to have two weathers at the same time. The __gloomy atmosphere clouded the whole city with its claws, digging its very nails into the city's interiors, washing away everything that had been preserved._

_Everything that had been preserved._

_Including his sanity._

_He didn't know where he was, or rather__, he did not want to know where he was. He found himself suddenly in this-__somewhere,__ and where this was or how he ever got in here, he couldn't quite grasp. He was alone and he didn't know what was happening. He couldn't remember why he was here now or where he had been before this. All he knew was that the silence was too much, too unbearable, that it was almost too close __to__ shattering. _

_All __he saw__ was a window. __A window with rails, much like a prison window.__ He walked towards__ it, familiarizing with the surroundings around him. Across the window was a door, a ton-heavy door which was locked. And then there was nothing else. Bricks made up the rest of the room, and there was nothing interesting inside, and by the mere appearance of it, it was enough to bore a man to death. Upon reaching the window, he stopped for a moment to take in what he saw. He realized that the room where he __was__ mus__t have been__ about a hundred meters tall, as upon looking outside the window's rails, there was nothing he could see. __Nothing._

_Nothing but a deep abyss, completely shadowed in darkness._

_His pale, cold hands grasped the much colder railings in front of him as he stooped down to take a better look. He knew there must be something in here…some thing…anything. It would be entirely useless to erect a high tower without planning to make use of it, wouldn't it? He tried hard, accustoming his eyes to see beyond the darkn__ess, to hear beyond the silence, to feel beyond the coldness._

_Yuui__…"_

_A boy falling.__Uttering his name._

_His name.__Yuui__ Not Fai. _

_Never Fai.__ He was never Fai._

_Blue eyes widened upon realization of the situation he found himself __in__. He was at the tower. __Inside that tower.__ He trembled and shivered upon hearing the voice he so wanted to hear but wasn't able to for quite a long time. He was seeing Fai's memories._

_His shivering became wilder, and he rattled the rails with his bare hands as if the very act would remove them. He extended his arms and tried to reach, to somehow catch a handful of that long golden hair that was in view, but to no avail. He tried to scream, to say everything he wanted to say, but no words came out of his lips. All that escaped was a ragged breath and an air of frost. There was nothing he could do._

_He was now struggling with his breath, as suppressed sobs threatened to constrict his lungs, blocking air from coming in. He was gagging, choking and he thought if this was how he was going to die.__He was losing strength, and way down__he lost view of Fai_

"Knock it off! Wake up!"

_He couldn't breathe. His hands were clawing nothing in front of him. He was begging for air. _

"Oi, wake up!"

_Air.__ He was dying. He knew it. Who would've thought this was how the great D. __Flourite's__ life would end? __Simply because he was suffocated?__ He felt the world crumble underneath him, and then he was falling. _

"I SAID SNAP OUT OF IT! SNAP OUT OF IT OR I'LL HIT YOU! I'M SERIOUS, MAGE! SNAP OUT OF IT, NOW!"

_Goodbye, __Celes_

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He was on a sitting position before the owner of that voice actually got close to hitting him.

Kurogane stopped his fist in mid-air, somehow relieved that he didn't have to punch the stupid magician before the other woke up. He was relieved, yes. Whatever it was that happened inside the mage's head, be it a nightmare or something of the sort, it was over before the mage became too indulged with it. He was also annoyed and irritated, and perhaps angry, because whatever it was that was going on inside the mage's head seemed to make a total mess of him, and it wasn't helping. In fact, it was making things worse.

His dark eyebrows furrowed in concern as he lowered his fist (taking mental notes to use it for future use, when the mage was a little better) and surveyed the magician's bent form. The blankets around the wizard were tangled in a mess all around him, but they were no longer covering the mage's upper part. The mage's torso was bent low, his head almost touching his knees, and his hands were covering his mouth. His blond hair draped smoothly over his face, covering his eyes. His breathing was ragged and shallow and his back was heaving.

"I'll go get water," Kurogane said as he retreated his back upon the mage. However, he had not taken three steps yet when he heard a violent coughing fit. He spun his head around quickly, and saw that the mage was almost doubled up with the intensity of the fit, and he was gripping the blankets tightly.

"Oi!" he muttered darkly as he quickly aided the blond.

He raised the mage's body a little higher, as being in a very bent position was not helping in letting air in, and his left hand supported the mage's back, rubbing it to ease the fit (he didn't know if that really helped, but that was what his father used to do whenever his mother had her fits, and it somehow calmed her down). His other hand supported the mage's trembling shoulder to steady him.

It took quite some time before the fit subsided, and when it did, he felt the mage fall limp in his arms. He was obviously drained, and he was drenched in sweat.

"Mage, you haven't had dinner. Would you like to eat?"

Blue eyes opened upon that question, and it seemed to the ninja that this was actually the first time the mage awakened. That sudden sitting position from a while ago was one in dire need of breathing air, and it was not entirely by his own, but by his body. More of reflex.

A smile was offered in return to his question, as if nothing had just happened. Kurogane had to keep his eyes from rolling. How could the stupid mage still smile at a time like this when just a few minutes ago he almost died from that fit?

"Maybe later, Kuro-tan," Fai whispered in his arms.

"Fine. Go to sleep," he muttered as he slowly lowered the magician back to bed.

It didn't take more than a few seconds before Fai fell unconscious again. Kurogane sighed, and began reciting a litany of curses that he had learned throughout their entire journey. He studied the blond's sleeping form once again, and as he did his eyes traveled to the wound that the stupid Octopus-slash-cyclops-san managed to give the magician.

Wait. Octopus-slash-cyclops-san.

Where the hell did that come from?

Shaking his head lest he growl in further annoyance, Kurogane touched the wound gently. He then felt the mage's forehead but felt that the coughing fit made his temperature rise even higher. Things were really getting way out of hand.

He turned to the basin on the bedside table which the princess prepared when she learned that the stupid mage had somehow gotten himself sick, took out the small towel that bathed in the cold water, squeezed it and gently placed it on the magician's forehead.

Something had to be done, Kurogane knew that much. This illness, or whatever it is that the blond was currently suffering, was not at all normal. Common colds didn't have a bruising wound with them, did they? He knew he needed help.

But right now, that could wait. It was better that he stay with the mage for the night, lest he be attacked by another troubling fit or worse, that octopus they have just battled a while ago (he killed the oni with his Souhi, that much he know of, but somewhere in his mind he knew that the oni had something to do with this). He glanced at the mage and saw that the fake smile was still on, even in the midst of his suffering. But he thought for a while… No, scrap that. He was sure. He was sure that while the mage was having that dream or vision or whatever it was, there was no sign of a smile there. There was fear. Even if his eyes were closed.

_What was the mage dreaming __of_

_What could there be he is hiding that he did not even want to talk about it?_

Kurogane's thoughts were disturbed by the quiet shifting of the sleeping figure on the bed.

"It's cold, Kuro-rin…" the mage whispered, and before he could continue, he was being tucked into the blankets by the ninja's strong hands.

A smile. Another freaking smile.

A few seconds of silence.

And the mage went back to sleep.

Thankful now that the lights were low, Kurogane sighed. He sighed for relief, for annoyance, for anger, for irritation. And though he hated to admit it, for worry. His eyebrows once again took their usual furrow as he heard the mage's steady breathing.

_Idiot._

_Enough with the nightmare_

_Are you really this desperate to die, that even in dreams you're trying to kill yourself?_

He held the mage's limp and feverish hand in his, covering the bony knuckles with his strong hands. He didn't know what the action was for, or if it even helped at all. He really didn't know.

But right now, it was all the warmth he could offer.

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**A/N: **Again? Hahaha. Forgive me for Fai's moment of weakness up there. Come on guys, he's sick. He's delirious; it'd be quite hard to smile especially when you're suffocating, right? Anyway, thanks for reading. Comments will be greatly appreciated.


	4. La trama

**My usual notes: **Whew. An update! I am working on the plot so expect lots and lots of dialogues and less action. This is my first ever chaptered fic and I'm quite anxious if I'm going the right track. One-shots are usually my thing, so this is quite new. Thanks to all who read and reviewed so far. You guys really make my day.

**Spoiler alert: **I'm terribly sorry about last chapter if I forgot to mention that it's a spoiler for Fai's past. So now, I'm telling it. This is no longer a mild Fai-past spoiler as I might focus on that in the next chapter, so if you haven't read up to chap140-ish something, I suggest you turn back now. Special thanks to SailorYue for pointing that out. Thank you so much.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Tsubasa. If I did, Kurogane and Fai would be a couple living happily ever after.

**XxX**

"I see. So that's why your café's been closed for a few days now," Yuzuriha exclaimed as she sat at the coffee table across Sakura, whose face was contorted with what was obviously worry.

"Yes. Since it is only Big Kitty-san who could make those cakes, we can't really do anything about it. I don't really understand what happened because the last thing I remember was that he didn't go to dinner with us and that had been three days ago. I wish I could do something," the princess finished in almost a whisper.

"I wish I could help, too" Yuzuriha said, touching Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura smiled at her newfound friend, and wished that things were back to normal in the slightest. It was a pretty day and if it were as normal as she wished it were, she and Fai would have been entertaining customers at this time of the day, but because he was not in any condition to work, let alone stand, they did not open the café because first, she could not attend to all the customers alone (even if Syaoran did offer to take Fai's job) and most importantly, only Fai could bake like that. She knew how to bake, yes, but she knew that her baking was far too inferior to be even compared with Fai's, and it might not be enough to satisfy their customers.

Sakura's thoughts were disrupted by Syaoran's and the others' conversation. She and Yuzuriha decided to stay where they were in silence as they began to eavesdrop.

"So you're saying that the oni they encountered is an I1 class oni?" Ryuoh asked Souma, who nodded in response.

"I1 is the highest class if I remember it right…" Syaoran said.

"Yes. And you're goddamn lucky Big Puppy finished it. That means a great amount additional to your account!" Ryuoh answered, scowling.

Syaoran was sure Kurogane growled upon hearing the name.

"I can't really call it that. I mean Fa- I mean Big Kitty-san is…"

"Stop blaming yourself, brat," Kurogane interjected even before Syaoran could finish his sentence.

Kurogane shifted slightly in his chair, perfectly aware that the boy's sentence would end with him blaming himself for whatever happened to the magician.

"But, Big Puppy-san…"

"I said shut it. And stop calling me that ridiculous name! The stupid guy wanted to take your place so you can't blame yourself," the ninja replied, though he knew that the kid won't buy a word of it. Really. The kid had too much conscience in him, and it was a great skill Kurogane would have loved to discard from the boy. He took every mistake, every flaw as his fault that it was almost sickening.

"So… we've been to the Information Booth just a while ago and we've gathered information regarding the oni you told us about," Souma said, obviously changing the topic as the atmosphere was becoming almost awkward.

"And what did you find out?" Kurogane asked.

"Well, aside from it being an I1 oni, it is one of the two rarest oni in here. Which is unfortunate," she continued.

"Unfortunate? Why?" Syaoran asked.

"Well, there were two oni reported to be what they call the 'special' type. They practically look exactly as you described. Cyclops-like with tentacles."

"Special? How are they different from the other oni?" Syaoran asked, hinting for the feather.

"Hmmm.. I think the Information Booth said something about a thing that influences it? A feather. Yes, that's right! A feather. Though I doubt how a feather could influence an oni," Souma said thoughtfully.

Bingo.

Two birds with one stone.

"How are they different?" Kurogane asked, repeating the latter part of Syaoran's question as upon the mention of the feather, the brat seemed to forget that part.

" One was able to rip souls apart just by looking at its target, and how it did just that, I can't even begin to decipher," Ryuoh replied, cringing with the thought of how an oni could rip a soul apart.

"That definitely isn't the one that attacked Big Kitty-san and Kurog.. Errr.. Big Puppy-san(another scowl from Kurogane, Syaoran winced) as Big Kitty-san is practically still alive, right?" Syaoran asked hopefully, and let out a thoroughly relieved sigh when Souma nodded.

"Yes, because I believe that oni was killed just a few months before you arrived. However, the other oni was said to be a little rampant and it was quite elusive. So, obviously it was the other oni that you've encountered," she said, now looking at Kurogane, "the so-called 'dream seer' oni," she continued.

"Dream seer?"

"Yes. It can transport a human inside his dreams by mere contact with any part of the oni's body,"

"You mean Fa- errr.. Big Kitty-san is inside his dream right now?" Syaoran winced upon saying the name.

"Exactly."

The ninja's eyebrows furrowed at this newly acquired information. So that explained it. That was the reason why the mage seemed to be physically present but mentally absent.

"And the sickness?"

"A side effect. I can't explain much, as even the Information Booth does not have enough information regarding this."

"How can we get him back?" Kurogane asked.

"The eye. We have to get it and burn it," Ryouh answered matter-of-factly.

"Yes. Ryuoh's right. That's the only way to get Big Kitty-san back," Souma said, standing up.

"Whole?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes. Whole. The burning ritual would be futile if the eye is already ruptured or something," Souma replied attentively.

A gulp escaped Syaoran as he glimpsed at a very angry looking Kurogane.

"Wait a minute. Don't tell me…?" Souma asked as realization dawned upon her. She looked at Syaoran, and then at Kurogane.

"What the hell do you mean it would be futile? I've ruptured that eye, that's why it died! What difference would it make anyway?" the ninja said fiercely.

A twitch of the eyebrow and Syaoran instantly knew this was trouble.

"Futile, as in everything-will-go-to-waste. As in pointless. As in useless. As in vain. I think I made that clear. And don't you dare shout at me, Big Puppy-san!" Souma replied angrily, with her hands on her waist.

"Don't call me that! My name is Kurogane!" the ninja retorted as he stood up to face Souma, now towering over her. The dimensional witch was right when she said that there will be people they will meet who will be different from those they already know but will have the same soul. This Souma definitely had that soul. And the temper, undoubtedly.

"Don't think I am intimidated. I am not afraid of you, Big Puppy-san. Don't give yourself that satisfaction. I'm just telling you that you did not kill it the right way!"

"I said scrap the name! And when has there been a right way to kill, huh?"

"For one thing, you could have done a little research about your enemies before you went on a killing spree. Haven't you thought about that? Or did you need Big Kitty to think about that for you?"

"You… Hmpf." Kurogane heaved a sigh, obviously offended with the last sentence.

This was pointless. All of this was.

It took a minute or so before Kurogane voiced out the obvious.

"So that way won't work as I've already ruptured the eye. Is there another way?" he asked, changing the subject and not facing any of them.

"None that I know of. I… I'm sorry," Souma said slowly, as if the last words were difficult to say.

Kurogane glanced at her in an almost apologetic way as well. But since it is Kurogane, the "almost" should definitely be there.

The ninja shrugged. Tempers were running high, and they weren't in a very good situation right now. Souma was right though. They should have done at least a little research before they slew the oni. But who was he to know that this would actually happen?

But there was a way. He knew it.

And if there wasn't, then he will make one.

He stood up, deciding on what to do. This was his last resort, but being that there was no other way out, then he might as well risk it.

"Kuro… Big Puppy-san, where are you going?" Syaoran asked, standing as well.

Ryuoh, Souma and even Sakura and Yuzuriha all looked at Kurogane as he began to climb the stairs.

"There is another way," he called out to them as he climbed the stairs.

And then it occurred to Syaoran what the ninja had meant when he said there was another way when he heard Kurogane call out the "shiruu manjuu". That's right. Their last resort.

The dimensional witch.

"Souma-san, Ryuoh-san, Yuzuriha-san.. Thank you very much for your help. We couldn't have learned this without you," Syaoran said politely, bowing down to each one of them before he ran to follow the ninja upstairs.

And then he was gone before the three oni slayers could even reply. They bid goodbye to Sakura, the remaining member of the party and they went their way, wishing her goodluck and promising to be back to check on Big Kitty-san as well.

"They are a rare bunch, aren't they?" Yuzuriha exclaimed once they were out of earshot.

"They sure are. But what the hell is with Big Puppy-san, anyway? Is he really supposed to be _that_ grumpy?" Ryuoh asked as he placed his hands at the back of his head. Really, he couldn't figure the guy out. He seems so silent, but surprisingly, he erupts like a volcano that hasn't erupted in a thousand years.

"Oh that? I think I do understand," Souma replied, sneering.

Ryuoh's eyebrows creased. What was it that Souma understood that he did not?

"Forget it, Ryuoh. Even if I tell you, you wouldn't understand. And if you happen to have the guts to ask him, I'm sure as hell he wouldn't admit it either," Souma replied and then she laughed.

Ryuoh shrugged as he looked at Souma who was still laughing.

People in this world are really, really weird.

**XxX**

"Dimensional bitch," Kurogane grumbles upon seeing the witch's face projected on the wall inside his and the mage's room. The mage was still out cold on the bed, and his fever was not subsiding the least bit.

"Good day to you too, Kurogane," the witch replied. "You have a wish, I suppose?" she continued.

"Damn right I have. Tell me how to save this guy," he muttered darkly, pointing at the bed where Fai was.

"There is a price," Yuuko replied, her dark eyes glinting.

"I know. As if you hadn't shoved that to our faces just yet. Just get on with it," the ninja growls in response.

"I need…"

The ninja, the brat, the princess and even the white manjuu bun all waited with bated breath for the price to be exchanged.

"Everything deposited in your bank account," Yuuko finished.

Everyone blinked.

That's it?

Was she serious?

"Oi. Don't go fooling around. I'm serious," the ninja exclaims angrily. Yuuko bent down to take a better look at them.

"Hmmm? But I am serious. Your bank account's no joke. It does have a huge amount already,"

"But Yuuko-san… I mean, is that equal to Fai-san's life?" Sakura asked, blushing.

"Oh, that. Well it's not as if I'd be saving him directly. There is something you must do. This is a task at hand which you must finish in order to save Fai, and get the feather. The task itself could be payment enough so it would be unfair of me to ask for something else, don't you think?" she said, smiling.

Syaoran and Sakura nodded.

"Fine. Just get on with it already," Kurogane ordered.

"Mokona will transport you inside Fai's dream. Once you get the feather, he'll be alright," Yuuko instructed.

"Thank you, Yuuko-san," Syaoran said.

"Welcome. Oh, and one more thing. This, your bank account, is just a down payment. An automatic payment shall be transacted as soon as you get the feather. Goodbye," Yuuko said with finality and then she vanished.

"That automatic payment or whatever that is had better not be personal," the ninja growled.

"Manjuu bun.. do it now," Kurogane commanded.

"I'll go with you, Kurogane-san," Syaoran said.

Kurogane glared at the boy threateningly.

"This has something to do with the feather, so I'll go. Besides this is the only help I can give you," he said with such resolve that only he possessed, and Kurogane knew it was inane to argue.

"Fine."

"Syaoran-kun, I…" Sakura started, but Syaoran already knew what she was trying to say.

"Wait for us, please, Princess. We'll be back really soon,"

"But…"

Syaoran smiled, and Sakura understood. It was appalling to see her face like that, but he could not risk it. Besides, someone had to take care of Fai.

Sakura then walked towards the bed where Fai was and sat at the edge of it. She reached out to touch his pale, unmoving hand and looked up to Kurogane and Syaoran, finally understanding that there was something she could do to help in this situation.

A vortex of light and air surrounded Kurogane and Syaoran as Mokona opened his mouth to swallow them.

"Princess,"

Sakura heard Kurogane's deep voice and she looked at him with questioning eyes, as it was very rare that the ninja actually talked to her.

"Please take care of the mage for me," he said, and then they were gone.

It took a few seconds before Sakura absorbed that rare look in Kurogane's face. She tightened her hold on Fai's hand.

Kurogane did his best not to show that he cared for any of them, especially not for the magician, but his actions betray him all the time.

It was then that Sakura understood.

And then she smiled.

**XxX**

**A/N ****again:**I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit on the boring side and didn't have much action. TT I'll make it up in the next. I really suck with chaptered fics. Anyway, congratulations! You made it this far. I do hope you'll leave a few notes guys, as they really help me. A lot. Thank you once again everyone!


	5. Il bambino del passato

**A/N: **An update! Yay! Sorry if this took quite a while. School's back.. awwww. Anyway, I would like to thank you guys again for the reviews. If you want to make my day, do click on the review button.

To Silverkleptofox: I haven't got the chance to thank you for your constant reviews because I could not reply to you through ff, but here. Thank you so much! Hope you like this.

And now, on with the show.

**XxX**

Kurogane did not even have open his eyes to tell that the world they landed in was full of snow.

Just the fact that something soft and cold broke their fall was enough proof of that, not to mention the sudden coldness he felt the moment the vortex that Mokona provided dissolved.

"Where are we?" he heard Syaoran ask as the young boy stood up.

Deciding to ignore the younger boy's question as he knew he couldn't answer him with a decent one anyway, he quickly brushed off some of the snow that now threatened to cover his clothes. He then stood up rather slowly as he was quite regaining his composure from the fall, and upon looking around, decided that he did not like the _feel_ of this place at all.

"Where are we?" stupid as it may seem, he found himself asking the very same question that the young brat asked.

"We are in Fai's dream," the white manjuu bun who went with the name of Mokona chirped on his shoulder.

Kurogane did not know what to expect inside the magician's dream, but he knew that it was not supposed to feel like this. He was expecting some sort of creatures, perhaps mermaids and princesses or sugar cubes that ran after people threatening to decay their teeth in a second, or perhaps a gigantic cake that would force itself inside one's mouth, or even fairies that braided people's hair as they passed. He could not understand why he seemed so disappointed when all he wanted from the mage was a little decency. A little normality. But now that he was given that, he could not take it. Because no matter how much he tried convincing himself that this was what normal meant, it did not feel right. And he found himself wishing for anything, really. Anything but this.

Because as far as normal was concerned, the ninja knew that it was not supposed to feel this way. At least not to him.

Because if this place could not be called lonely, then Kurogane did not know what loneliness meant at all.

All that his range of vision allowed him to see were bricks. Thousands and thousands of bricks. One piled after the other. They were built in such a manner that they completely encircled them. They were held captives inside that great circular wall of bricks and Kurogane easily surmised that they were inside a tower.

Syaoran walked a few steps ahead of the ninja, came to a halt before he collided with the brick wall and held a hand towards it. But as quickly as he stretched out his hand to touch it, he quickly snatched his hand back with an unreadable expression on his face.

Kurogane tilted his head in silent question to what the kid had just done.

"It's very cold. It's unusual," Syaoran replied, as if he heard the ninja's silent question.

At first Kurogane construed that it felt unusual to Syaoran because he was not accustomed to snow and the cold weather, given that he and the princess both grew up in a world covered with sand. He, on the other hand, had his fair share of winter back in Nihon. It was not until he did the same thing the boy did that he understood what the other meant by 'unusual'. It was indeed unusual as it was colder than anything or anywhere Kurogane could ever imagine.

And to say that he and the kid were cold would be the understatement of the century.

Because they were not cold. They were shivering. And should they last here for any more than an hour or so, they would probably freeze to death. And it was also dark, as if the cold wasn't enough.

A sinister curse threatened to worm its way out of his mouth, and he began to absentmindedly blame the mage for bringing them inside his normal-looking-yet- weird-feeling dream until he realized that _he_ was the one who wished for this, and not the mage so really, the sick mage had nothing to do with this at all.

"Oi brat, are you alright?" he asked the kid who was standing just behind him.

"Yes, Kurogane-san," was the automatic reply and the ninja regretted asking the question even if he knew what the answer would be.

"Mokona can sense the feather here!" the rabbit-like manjuu bun on his shoulder sang at the top of its lungs, and the ninja instantly saw the kid's eyes brighten.

"Let's get to it then before we freeze to death," Kurogane grumbled and he began to walk forward.

A closer look at the place they were in almost confirmed his first intuition that something did not feel right. There was nothing inside the tower, no furniture, no light, no painting to adorn the bricks. Absolutely nothing aside from the brick wall. Just that. Bricks and bricks and bricks. Piled higher and higher. So high, in fact, that even with Kurogane's height, he could not quite make the end of it. When he tried to look above to see what lay beyond, all he saw was a void. And darkness. He assumed that the tower must be a hundred feet tall.

_What kind of dream is this?_

_Who in the right mind would even want to dream of bricks?_

"Where do we look for the feather, Mokona?" Syaoran asked.

Kurogane narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the darkness. But all he could see were the bricks surrounding them, his range of vision, with this absolute darkness could not even reach the other end of the circular chamber, thus they were rooted to where they had landed.

Mokona jumped from Kurogane's shoulder into Syaoran's and closed its eyes in sheer concentration.

"It's up there!" Mokona said, jumping up and down the kid's shoulder.

"What exactly is up there?" Syaoran asked calmly, and despite the way his body was protesting, he remained stable on his feet although his hands were creeping up to his arms to ward off the unwanted goosebumps that the intense cold brought about.

"Is there even anything up there?" Kurogane muttered under his breath which was now coming out in puffs.

As if on cue, they heard a crashing sound from above. It was as if something fell, and that it landed on some ungodly things lying around. Drawing Souhi as swiftly as his lissom, muscular arms were able to, he went towards the direction of the sound, running blindly because of the dark, with Syaoran taking the rear and Mokona going 'mekyo' with every step that the boy took.

There was a part of the tower that they had not discovered nor seen because they were too preoccupied with its dizzying height and overwhelming bricks. And Kurogane found this an insult that he had not seen it earlier. The place was dark and that could pass as a justifiable excuse, true, but still, what he found was not something that could easily be ignored. He was so used to this that he really began to doubt if his heightened senses were still kicking their gears.

Presented in front of them when they came to a halt was a mountain. A mountain of dead bodies. Piled high, one after the other, exactly like the bricks. His red eyes widened and he wondered why there was a mountain of carcasses in this bloody tower.

"Kurogane-san! Could the holder of the feather be a villain inside Fai-san's dream?" Syaoran asked, his eyes wider than Kurogane if that was even possible.

"Don't ask me things I can't answer. Only the damn mage knows," he replied darkly, his eyebrows furrowing.

None of the things in this place made sense. And no matter how hard he tried, his cold logic could not match that of the coldness of the place, and the fact that he could not connect things only made matters worse.

_What the hell is happening?_

"Kurogane-san!" Syaoran's voice echoed throughout the tower, interrupting the ninja's train of thought.

Kurogane looked over to where the kid was pointing, and shock registered in his eyes. As if the mountain of corpses was not enough, here was yet another apparition. At the foot of the 'mountain' was a child. A thin, ragged, and very pale child. And he… or she? Kurogane did not know. But the child was glowing.

"It's the feather! That child has the feather! Mokona is sure of it!"

Syaoran attempted to make a run for the child, but before he could, Kurogane held him by the collar of his coat.

"Let me,"

"But Kurogane-san, perhaps I could talk to the child. Don't kill--,"

The ninja looked down sternly at him.

"Who said anything about killing?" and he walked towards the child in the tattered clothes, leaving Syaoran with a flabbergasted look on his face.

**XxX**

Kurogane walked towards the child, his path now elucidated thanks to the bright glow that the child emitted.

As he walked closer, he began to appraise the child's figure. The child was not in any way, taken care of. In fact, if he were to judge, he looked shoddier than the beggars in the streets did. At least the beggars did not have that ridiculously long hair that reached the floor, almost enough in length to make a curtain of hair, if that ever existed.

And the child was thin, and ragged. And the child's eyes were cavernous, too deep for that age. And the skin was too pallid, and he wondered briefly how the child, with those clothes was able to stand this cold.

He stopped just a foot away from the child. Kurogane realized that the child was bleeding. A fat trickle of blood ran down from the child's forehead, parting at the nose. And Kurogane instantly knew that the child was a boy. He looked down.

Red eyes met with tired, blue ones.

And then it hit him.

And this time he shivered, not because of the cold, but because there was a sudden feeling that erupted within him. As if this was something he shouldn't know. Like he had walked on something sacred that it would be futile, and unforgivable should he try to make amends.

This was the mage.

He didn't understand how he came to the idea that this was the mage. But somehow, he just knew. He knew.

He walked closer, closer, until he was close enough to confirm what he already knew. And the child was looking at him, his blue eyes so innocently shining from that weary, sullen, forlorn face and for a while Kurogane wondered how he ever managed to call the mage stupid.

How could you call someone like this _stupid_?

And he was speechless, that even his curse-ready mind forgot to give them out, and his knees gave way. Perhaps because of the cold, or perhaps because of the sudden emotions that he did not even know he was capable of having. But he knelt there anyway. In front of the bleeding (inside and out), pale, and hopeless child.

And the child just stood in front of him. Not moving.

Never moving.

His hands reached out to touch the fragile child in front of him. He raised the cloth that covered the child's shoulders.

And the wound was there.

The very same wound that the mage had when they fought the oni. It was purplish, and bruising. And his hand covered the wound, as if the very action would heal it.

He raised his head to look at the young mage in front of him.

And the next thing he knew, he had the bleeding child locked in his tight embrace. He felt the child shiver under his arms. But the child did not move. Kurogane wanted to say something, anything. But no words came out. Because he did not know what to say. Because he never understood the child's pain. So all he did was embrace the child, however senseless it may be, so that even for a while he could feel warmth.

"Go,"

He heard the child whisper but he gave it no heed. He did not let go.

He felt something warm on his right hand and realized he had taken the feather, and it was now safe in his hand.

But he could not go back. Not without this child.

But he felt his body leave the ground anyway, and the child was left there, still standing. Still alone. And the child looked up at him with those sad blue eyes, and the tower of bricks, and the snow and the darkness and everything else began to blur but those eyes of blue was the last thing he saw as he began to be enveloped by the vortex of light.

**XxX**

"Syaoran-kun! Kurogane-san! You're back!" the princess exclaimed as she stood up from the edge of the bed where the mage was still lying, unconscious.

"Yes, and we found your feather, Princess," Syaoran offered, giving the feather to its rightful owner.

"Thank you, Syaoran-kun," she said, taking the feather, but not absorbing it yet as she had many things to ask before she passed out again.

"What was inside Fai-san's dream, Syaoran-kun?" she asked.

"We were transported inside… inside… Wait," Kurogane heard the boy stutter, which was unsual, knowing how eloquent the kid was.

"Kurogane-san?" the princess turned to him with the hope that he could answer what Syaoran could not.

"Che. We…-"

_Wait a minute._

_What happened?_

Kurogane scratched his head, trying to remember what occurred. He was sure it was something important, but he could not quite grasp what it was. Shaking his head and convincing himself that it probably wasn't a big deal because he was _not _someone who would forget a big deal, he shrugged the princess' question away as if it had not been brought up in the first place.

_She would pass out soon anyway._

Deciding on the more important issue at hand, he went over to the bed where the mage was sleeping. He rolled the sleeve of the cloth that the mage was wearing to check on his wound. It was gone. And a hand on the mage's forehead told him that the fever was finally subsiding.

He sighed a sigh of relief. The stupid mage was now safe.

**XxX**

"What was that for, Yuuko?" Watanuki asked, as he leaned on his broom.

"Hmmm? It's not yet time, my dear Watanuki. Everything must go according to hitsuzen," she replied, putting down the pipe she had been smoking for almost four hours now.

"Hitsuzen. Yeah, right," the kid Watanuki exclaimed, rolling his eyes, and he began to walk away wondering how cruel hitsuzen was.

"Automatic payment transacted".

**XxX**

**A/N: **Can anybody please tell me if Mokona has a gender? I surmise Mokona's a he, but I'm not so comfy using 'he' so I resorted to 'it'. I hope nobody got irked. Sorry about that. A chapter to go! Thanks for reading this far. Reviews are very much wanted!


	6. Il fine

**A/N: **Whew. An update. I apologize deeply for the really late update, I've just recently escaped the claws of the evil enemy called School. Thank God for Christmas break! Anyway, here you all go. The last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one.

**A/N2: **Oh by the way, to the reviewer who asked why my titles are in Italian, it's simply because I am Italian. That sort of explains my far from perfect English. Thank you for reviewing!

**XxX**

"Uhhmmm…"

Something was wrong, that he was sure of. He knew he should be contented with the way things turned out, even though there was a huge part of the story that just didn't seem to fit right into the puzzle. There was a missing piece.

"Kurogane-san?"

And that was exactly what made him more annoyed than usual. He could accept "missing pieces", as that was the very essence of their journey. They were looking for the princess' missing pieces. But what he couldn't accept was that somewhere in the back of his mind, he _knew_ just what the missing piece is. He was sure that he had something to do with it, and yet throughout the whole of last night, when he tried thinking, remembering whatever that damned something was, the information just seemed to elude him. And it did a great job too.

"Are you okay, Kurogane-san?"

Kurogane turned to face the owner of the voice that disturbed his thoughts.

"What?"

"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked, putting Hien down to his side.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well… I've been doing the same technique for almost an hour now, and you didn't give me your usual comments. Am I pissing you off?" the kid asked in a half-guilty half-curious voice.

Syaoran easily surmised that something was bothering his teacher. It was not usual for the ninja to just stare while he was practicing. More often than not, Kurogane would stand by his side, and correct his posture and handling every now and then. In fact, for Syaoran to be left to his own devices during training was a rare treat, although it wasn't something he was actually looking forward to. But Kurogane was acting weird today, and it seemed he was completely indulged in something. His brows were furrowed more than usual (if that was even possible), but Syaoran couldn't think of a plausible reason for this, unless of course, it was he.

"There is nothing wrong with what you're doing," Kurogane answered, avoiding the more sensitive issue.

"Then why can't we move on to another technique?" Syaoran asked.

Kurogane just stared at him.

Syaoran knew that look, and a large gulp emanated in his throat. Perhaps he had voiced the wrong question at exactly the wrong moment.

"I…"

"We continue tomorrow," Kurogane's voice rang with such authority and finality that Syaoran knew there would be no argument even though he wanted to continue.

Kurogane turned on his feet and started walking back to the café without so much a second glance at the boy. Syaoran took the rear, with Hien swinging wildly by his hips, all the while musing whether or not it was safe to ask the ninja what the trouble was. Because whatever it was, it was definitely blowing the ninja's patience up to shreds. It wasn't as if Kurogane was patient, in fact, it would be quite the opposite. It was just that Syaoran knew that there was more to Kurogane's mood this time than just mere irritation.

No. It was more than that.

"Is it about Fai-san, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked point-blank.

And Kurogane stopped in his tracks.

Bang.

Just the reaction Syaoran expected. He decided to continue.

"Are you mad at him?"

"Why do you keep asking if I'm mad at people? I'm not mad at the mage. I hate him."

Kurogane half-expected the kid to ask further or probe. But what followed was a strained silence, and he didn't know if he had said the wrong thing.

"You know that's not true, Kurogane-san. Not at all," came the kid's voice. Kurogane did not stir.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Kurogane asked calmly.

"You know you don't. You never did,"

Syaoran took a few steps until he was ahead of Kurogane. Then he turned to face the ninja with that trademark smile of his.

"And you probably never will. See you later, Kurogane-san. Thank you for today's lesson," he said, bowing. And then he was off, leaving Kurogane to his own thoughts.

A small smile made its way through Kurogane's lips.

"Some kid," he muttered, and he continued with his walk.

**XxX**

The wind chime sang as soon as his arm touched the door of their café. It was almost twilight when he decided to go back, for he thought that some time alone would probably clear his mind. But it didn't help at all; instead, it made matters more complicated. That was something he definitely hated with himself, his tendency to think and think and think, but arrive to no conclusions. It rarely happened in battle, but it always happened when it came to the more serious stuff.

"Welcome home, Kurogane-san!" the princess' sweet voice greeted him as soon as his feet touched the floor.

"Ah! Kuro-sama's home!"

Kurogane's eyes narrowed at the very sound of that voice. He scanned the room for the owner of that irritating voice. Sakura was sitting in the counter, wiping at the mouth of several glasses, with Mokona sitting on top of her head, while Syaoran was behind it, wearing his other uniform (that of a server) and serving drinks to some customers. But the mage was nowhere in sight.

"Where is that-"

"BOO!"

Kurogane's eyebrow simply shot up at the failed attempt at surprising him. He'd faced some fatally sly opponents, and this attack was nothing surprising to him.

"Awwww. Kuro-pon's not surprised!" Fai said, pouting.

Kurogane surveyed the mage standing in front of him. He looked a lot better than he had been these past few days, but he was still a shade paler than he normally is.

"What's that you're wearing?" he asked.

"Hmmm? My uniform," the mage replied.

Kurogane could feel his raised eyebrow starting to twitch involuntarily. This was going to have to start all over again.

"What the hell are you doing up?!"

"Ahm.. working?"

The twitching was getting way out of control, and Kurogane knew he had to control lest he gets his temper take the better of him and make all the customers leave the café. The said mage was standing in front of him, smiling that pestering, freaking smile, and holding a mop with his right hand. Kurogane took the mop forcefully.

"Ah! I'm not done yet, Kuro-rin! Give that back!" the mage pleaded, trying to reach the mop that had been stolen from his hands.

"Kuro-daddy's going to clean tonight! Yay!" Mokona sang, as it bounced from Sakura's head to Kurogane's.

"Get off, stupid manjuu!" Kurogane growled a little too loudly, and several customers who were sitting nearby turned to look at them.

"I understand now! Kuro-bun's really nice! He's going to clean tonight! Yay!" Fai sang, imitating Mokona, and clapped his hands dramatically.

"YOU!" Kurogane began, pointing at Fai.

"Me?"

"Yes, you! Back to bed," He ordered as he successfully managed to get Mokona out of his head. Sakura ran to catch the poor creature.

"But it's still early, Kuro-chi! It's not even-"

"Back to bed! NOW!"

This time, all the customers stared at them in silence. Syaoran stood behind the counter, the glass he was filling already filled to the brim that the wine was overflowing, Sakura, standing in the middle of the café with Mokona in her arms, Fai, with his eyes wide, and Kurogane pointing at Fai in all his bare fury.

And then, Fai clapped.

"Well done, everyone! I guess practice time's over. We're doing well for our play!"

The customers, upon hearing this, began to break the silence as they joined Fai in the clapping. Most of them laughed, unable to believe that everything was just part of a play.

Fai bowed once, grabbed Kurogane's wrist and dragged him upstairs towards the room they were both sharing. Once they were out of earshot, Kurogane tugged at his wrist, freeing it from Fai's loose hold.

"Aren't you going to thank me for saving your face down there?" the mage asked teasingly, the perpetual smile beaming on his face. He walked towards the bed, and sat down on the edge of it.

Kurogane leaned on the doorway, folded his arms on his chest and simply looked at Fai with furrowed eyebrows again. The room was dark, the lights were off and their shadows cast on the floor like a silhouette painting.

"Kuro-tan?" Fai asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Go to sleep," he ordered.

"It's too early for sleep, Kuro-wan! I haven't finished cleaning yet. It seems to me that you won't finish my job, so let me do it at least,"

"You're not even supposed to be up just yet. Go to sleep,"

"But-"

"Sleep. You're still not very well. If you get sick again, you'll be causing us too much delay already!"

Silence.

"I… can't…" Fai said, almost inaudibly.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed at this, and he thought he saw a flash of sadness cross the mage's face for a while before it was quickly replaced by the usual façade.

"Why not?" Kurogane asked.

"I don't want anymore… dreams," Fai continued, his voice just above a whisper. The smile never left his face, although it never quite seemed to reach his eyes either.

It struck Kurogane. And somehow, a fragment of his memory flashed before his eyes, and he knew that whatever the missing piece was, the one he had been brooding about all morning, it had something to do with a dream. Fai's dream.

He closed his eyes, focusing his mind on remembering the dream. It was vital. It wasn't something he was supposed to forget, and yet…

"Thank you."

Kurogane's eyes opened at that.

"What?"

"Thank you." Fai repeated calmly, smiling that sad smile once again, and Kurogane felt that he would rather endure a century's worth of name abomination than seeing this same sad smile on his face.

Because deny as he might, he knew that it hurt him just as much as it did the mage. And once again, he felt as if he had already been through this feeling. And he could only construe that maybe, maybe it had something to do with whatever it was he saw in the dream. And it made him frustrated. And angry.

He was starting to become angry with himself for forgetting things as important as this one. He wanted to help. He wanted to reach out. And he knew that whatever the dream was would help him understand the mage. Because he knew that the other wouldn't tell anyway. Heck, he wouldn't even mention anything with connection to his past. And knowing the past, and accepting it, was the only way Kurogane knew how to heal. Because that was how it worked for him. He wasn't sure if that was a tried and tested formula, he wasn't sure if that was the panacea he kept searching for. But he had to give it a try.

But how could he even try if the mage didn't want to accept his help?

"You knew."

"Yes, I knew," Fai answered. Kurogane put his hands down and walked until he was standing right across the mage who was still sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Then tell me about it," he ordered, his voice dark, and Fai understood that this was no time for his jokes.

"No."

But there was always something he could never tell, even if it was Kurogane. Even if it was the man who had saved his life. He knew everything that happened, it was his dream anyway. And he knew what the oni could do, but he chose to risk his life anyway because there was no other way. Besides, he never really thought Kurogane would go that far just to be able to bring him back.

"I'm still not worthy enough for the truth, then," Kurogane said, his voice low.

Fai winced.

_It's not how you think it is._

_This has nothing to do with you, __Kuro-chan_

_You are worthy of everything. __There is such a brilliant light in your __soul, that__ sometimes it hurts my eyes just to look at you. __Because it's exactly what I don't have.__ What I never had. My past is shrouded in darkness. I just don't want to taint you__r light__ with it._

_I wish you understand._

"Does Hitsuzen ring a bell? If Yuuko-san were here, that's exactly what she would be saying, Kuro-tan!" Fai replied cheerfully, acting as if they were having another of their casual conversations.

And Kurogane just stood there, in front of Fai. His eyes were covered, and there was nothing else to say. Nothing, because Fai wouldn't give him a chance.

Because Fai would walk away just when he was catching up with him.

"Oh, I totally forgot! I have to close the café now. Sakura and Syaoran can't do it by themselves." Fai continued, snapping his fingers spectacularly. He stood up from the bed and began to walk towards the door.

They both knew that Fai was yet again trying to avoid the situation. But there wasn't much to be done. No matter how much Kurogane wanted to understand, Fai wouldn't let him.

A hard tug at Fai's arm stopped him from going out the door. He was about to scold the larger man when he saw the look in his eyes.

A look of surprise betrayed Fai's ever smiling face.

"Whatever it is you're running from, it's bound to catch up with you sooner or later."

"I know. Let me go now. I have things to do." Fai replied.

But Kurogane did not let go of him. Instead, Kurogane pulled him close, too close, and the next thing Fai knew, he was locked in a tight embrace, with his head tucked under Kurogane's.

"Don't you dare die, mage." Kurogane's whispered, his voice muffled by Fai's blond locks.

Fai buried his head unto Kurogane's chest, silent, his face emotionless.

He had no answer to that.

Because that was something he could never promise.

_Don't you dare __die,__ mage._

_At least not before me._

End.

**A/N: **It's finished! I just finished my first chaptered fic! Thank you all so very much for reading. It makes me giddy to know you stuck till the end, you'll never know how much you made me happy. Thank you.


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